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Five tips and tricks for flying with young children

Wednesday, 24 September 2014

Taking a break and going on holiday with the family can be a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It gives you the opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones and forget about the daily routine for a little bit.

However, it can also be fraught with difficulties and problems. In addition to finding a destination or resort that suits the needs of your family, you also need to keep tabs on younger ones at all times, especially on the plane.

If it is your baby or toddler’s first flight, then it can be a strange and scary time. What’s more, you’ll also need to be mindful of other passengers, as a screaming child would be the worst start to their holidays too. Therefore, remember the following tips and tricks for next time you have to fly with young kids.

Choose your flight carefully

A long-haul journey at the peak of summer is probably not the best way to introduce your children to flying. Along with the hassle of negotiating busy airports and airplanes, your kids will get bored, restless and tired incredibly easily. Therefore, think about choosing quieter and shorter flights until youngsters are a bit more familiar with the experience. There is still an abundance of destinations to choose from closer to home.

Teach them about flying

Being able to fly among the clouds at immense speed is quite an amazing thing, which kids will be fascinated with. Ask the cabin crew how fast the plane is travelling to pique kids’ curiosity or look out of the window to spot the tiny houses below. If your child is fidgety or on edge, keeping his or her mind occupied is the best thing to do.

Pack your cabin bag wisely

Whether it is a teddy bear or colouring book, have a couple of your toddler’s favourite possessions close to hand. You may also want to pack some sweets and bottled water. However, put some other toys in your hold luggage, because if a bag was to go missing, you’ll be left with a very upset child.

Think about in-flight entertainment

Although several planes have in-flight systems with kids TV shows and movies, some additional entertainment is always a good idea. Pre-load your smartphone or tablet with amusing games and photos of your destination. Alternatively, let your child be the pilot or flight attendant and have some role-playing fun.

Speak to your fellow passengers

The sight of a baby or toddler sitting nearby is sure to strike fear in the hearts of your fellow passengers. The last thing they want is a noisy or annoying kid kicking and screaming behind them. Therefore, have a quiet word with those around you, apologise in advance for any problems and they’re bound to be a lot more forgiving.

One last tip is to take a neck pillow on board. If kids are restless, they are sure to tire out, so a nice, comfortable sleep might be all they need. Focus on your destination and think of the fun times head with the family.

Author Bio: Jessica Fleming is full-time proud mum to one year old Harry and part time freelance writer. She loves traveling and cooking Indian food.

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Welcome

Hi I'm Alex! I started writing a blog back in 2013 as a way to capture my thoughts, feelings and emotions as I married my childhood sweetheart and we had our first child. I'm now a Mum to two little boys and I've continued writing, photographing and videoing ever since as a way to remember all of the little details that make up this crazy but amazing journey of Motherhood.